Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for her question, and, indeed, I acknowledge that it continues to be a very challenging day for people across many different parts of Australia, as it is for people across many, many different parts of the world. I reject the assertion made by the senator in terms of 'pressuring'. It is well known that, throughout the management of the COVID pandemic, New South Wales had shown an extraordinary capacity in terms of their COVID testing, tracing and isolating regime to be able to get on top of multiple outbreaks through that time.

Clearly, as is publicly acknowledged—and as the Prime Minister has publicly acknowledged—the delta variant has created an additional challenge for systems and in relation to the increased rate of transmissibility that comes with the delta variant. Indeed, it's estimated the delta variant results in a 100 per cent increase in relation to transmission, and with those changed circumstances, as we've had right throughout the pandemic, the advice and the approach changes appropriately too. We want to see the New South Wales lockdown succeed. We want to see New South Wales get on top of it. That is why, as a government, we've been offering additional resources and assistance along the way to New South Wales, be that in the form of additional contact tracing support or additional support in relation to enforcement of the lockdown through the supply of Australian Defence Force personnel to work alongside NSW Police. We'll continue to deliver the support we can to assist New South Wales.